Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-04-10
PROHIBITION NOT A PARTY FIGHT.

PROHIBITION NOT A PARTY FIGHT.
What the GREAT Democratic Lsadess are
! Saying.
The Prohibition state central commit
tee desires to re6tatc for the information
Of ali The people of Texas, certain funda-
mental principles, which control the con-
dUes Of this camn9ign in its relation to
partisan politics.
lis g Well-known fact that our central
comnittee, to which was entrusted the
management of the canvass, was created
and commissioned by non-partisan con-
vention, in which eligibility to member
ship rested simply upon the fact of citi-
zensbip, and not upon any previous politI-
cal affiliations.
1t IS equally well known that the in
structions of that convention explicitly
require as to conduct this campaign IS
citizens of Texas, and without any regard
to partisan politics or distinction OF re-
IieiCus views Our purpose TO comply
with these instructions has been pub
}ished 10 the world, and IS hereby reaf-
frmed.
But, notwithstanding our publications
to this effect, and notwithstanding the
action Of cur Legislature in separating
this election from all others, that the PEG
pie OF Texas may, as citizens, de
J termino the propriety and eXpedl-
ency OF adopting this state police
regulation upon, it's intrinsic merits,
al effort has been made and IS still being
made to obtrude eXtraneOus and lrrele-
want issues into the canvass and to inject
into it partisan politics with view to
complicate and mystify simple PROPOSE
ton, so as to therebydefeat an impartial
and dIspassionate verdict.
To partjcuIarize: We have been chal-
lenged by the chairman OF the anti
prohibition committee TO enter into q
Theological controversy, doubtless with g
view to create the impression that this IS
2 religious crusade.
Moreover, studiOus atteDpts are made
to align against the amendment the Dem
cCratic party, as party.
Il is true that such efforts have signally
failed, yet that the question may be put
finally 10 rgst, and that the people may
vote their Individual convictions without
the fear Of mourning the charge of dislOy-
atty to their party, we submit the follow
ing facts and declarations:
l. The opening speeches of the cam
paign against the amendment were deliV-
cred in Dallas, on the same occasion and
before the same audiences by Hon. Bar
nett Gibbs, Democratic contestant for
the seat of Congressman Wellborn, and
by DIR. Arch Cochran, the Republican can
dIdate for Governor, who was defeated
by General Ross, the Democratic nominee.
1t follows from this fact that prohibit
ton could not be Republican trick to
break up the Democratic party, for DR..
Cochran would not in that event be
leading the opposition host. The fact
that Mr.. Gibbs is the chosen champion OF
antl-prOhbltion also eXplOdes the fallacy
that prohibition seeks to break up the
Republican party. The novel and
suggestive sight of these irrecOn-
cilable political foes publicly giving
each other the hand of fellowship in
this matter and their joint leadership
demonstrate the non-partisan character
of the campaign.
2. In his Jealous efforts to organize Op-
position to prohibition, Mr.. Gibbs sum-
moned by telegram Colonel Exall, chair
man of the Democratic state executive
committee, to meet him in Austin for
consultation. When there, Chairman
ExaIl, with characteristic wisdom, de-
clined to sign his name to call for the
Dallas antl-prohibiti0n convention, on
the Just ground that such action on his
part might be construed to imply that
; the Democratic party, as party,
was committed against prohibition,
which, in his judgment, was contrary to
| the official and authoritative expression
of that party in its last state convention.
8. The correctness Of Chairman Exall's
Judgment, the import Of that decision OF
the Democratic state convention Is con
frmed by this explicit declaration
| of Senator Richard Coke in his
: recent open letter 10 the Dallas
Herald: "The Galveston DeRocra, ic
: Convention, contrary to my Cieer and
earnest convictions, then ard now, to the
contrary declared this nOn-partisan, non
political question: As q Democrat who
, believes in party organization and the
sUboTdinatiOn Of individual opinion 10
the collective Will of the
whole authoritatiyely expressed as
the only means OF carrying out great pc
litical principles essential to the vel
fare of the country. and that the disrup-
J ton of the party would Oe great calam-
itY upon tie state and people. | have
SLdteu tAdes1 HOu4u aOAN'0 ~ anu "Nt oiS1CO
in the action of the convention and treat
this as Comparison question, and that
1 believsit the duty of all Democrats to
do the same. In this attitude of the
question nv purpose is to make no can
vass, But as citizen and voter to exer-
else my privileges in accordance with my
, convictions"
& Any effort to escape this just inter
probation Of the party platform based
upon the assumed ana fictitious distinc-
ton, so far as principle is concerned. be-
tween local option and state prohibition
is defeated by the following declaration
of Senator Coke, which appears in his in
terview published in the Galveston News,
September, 1885, and republished in the